Dog Breeds That Greatly Resemble Wolves:
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1. Sarloos Wolfhound (aka Saarlooswolfhond)- (H: <76cm; W: <40kg) Very rare. Only recommended for experienced dog owners as it retains a lot of wolf-like traits. The breed originated when Leendert Saarloos attempted to create a new and improved “german shepherd” that was immune to distemper by crossbreeding german shepherds with Mackenzie Valley Wolves. He ultimately failed in that quest but made a pretty badass-looking pooch in the process.
2. Czechoslovakian Wolfdog - (H: >60cm; W: >20kg) Quick, lively, very active, courageous and very social. Needs a lot of socialization due to strong prey drive and pack mentality. They are frequently used as SAR dogs due to their strong work drive, as well. They can easily get bored, disobedient, and temperamental when forced to do the same tricks repeatedly.
3. American Alsatian (aka Alsatian Shepalute)- (H:24-28in/61-71cm; W:75-120lbs/34-54kg) Bred to look like the now-extinct Dire Wolf. A calm dog with a low working drive that likes being close and affectionate with its owners, although it tends toward aloofness and does not initiate play unless encouraged.
4. Jamthund (aka Swedish Elkhound) - (H:20-26in/52-65cm; W:55-77lbs/25-35kg) Although it is calm and affectionate with family, it has a strong prey drive and tendency towards being dog-aggressive, so it should be well socialized. It is considered a good all-around dog because of its work drive, playfulness, and eagerness to please its master.
5. Native American Indian Dog (NAID) - (H: 23-34in/58-67cm; W: 55-120lbs/25-55kg) Highly intelligent, highly trainable, loyal, protective, and very eager to please their owner. They should be socialized to avoid shyness and anxiety. They have a strong pack mentality so you need to be able to be the “alpha dog” to raise them, but they tend to do well with other animals when you establish this.
6. Shikoku Inu - (H: 17-21in/43-53cm; W: 30-55lbs) This is a Japanese breed that is considerably difficult to find outside of Japan. It’s medium-sized (falling right in between the Akita and Shiba Inu) and has four official color variations: Sesame, Black, Tan, and Cream. They have a high pack mentality and prey drive (although certain Youtube videos suggest otherwise), as well as a history of health problems, but fans of them seem to be loyalists for a reason. They were also the star animals of a popular manga/anime called ‘Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin (Silver Fang: Shooting Star Silver)’.
7. Tamaskan Dog - (H: 24-33in/61-84cm; W: 55-95lbs/25-43kg) A large, intelligent and athletic sleddog breed. They excel at competitive dog sports, as therapy/assistance dogs, and are another breed that makes a good SAR dog. Despite their potential in the competitive arena, they can be very laidback and friendly when given adequate attention and exercise. They are not fond of being alone, and will destroy everything in sight to remind you of that fact if you leave them too long or too often. They are also cunning escape artists. Some lines have a problem with shyness and high prey-drives.
8. Seppala Siberian Sleddog - (H: 22-23in/56-58cm; W: 40-50lbs/18-23kg) A rare, working dog breed that shares its ancestry with the Siberian Husky. Affectionate, cooperative/highly-trainable, highly-bonded, and primitive in feature. They have a stable and serious temperament, and tend to be very reserved around strangers, though alert and inquisitive when alone or with their human companion. They were not bred for looks and many are a buff white. They share the same history of health problems with most of the Northern breeds.
9. Northern Inuit Dog - (H: 23-32in/58-82cm; W: 55-79lbs/25-50kg) Stubborn and quick-witted, but lacking any aggression. They have a strong pack mentality and need to be governed by an ‘alpha dog’. They need dog-experienced owners due to the difficulty of training them and their tendency toward anxiety and self-destructive behavior (as in gnawing at themselves, not binge drinking). They also require a lot of socialization. If you watched Game of Thrones, you should probably recognize this breed as it was used for the Dire Wolf pups.
10. Utonagan - (H: 23-30in/58-80cm; W: 55-79lbs/25-50kg) A great family dog due to its playfulness, loyalty, and ease of socializing with other small animals and children. They are also highly intelligent, easy to train, and ‘boisterous at play’. They have a strong pack mentality, so ‘alpha dog’ is needed here, too. It has a thick, double coat that requires a lot of grooming and looks quite different in winter.
I left out a few. Feel free to add some in comments.
(Images and information courtesy of Google; mostly Wikipedia and Youtube)
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